The Rise of Stepan Razin

The 17th century is considered the richest period for the event. Contemporaries characterized him as a century "rebellious" for the fierce class opposition that occurred at that time. A large-scale event of the century was the uprising of Stepan Razin.

The reasons for many speeches consisted mainly in the plight in which the main working class of the country-the peasants-was located. Experiencing the oppression of forced labor, want, they often starved.

The territory of the Don was significantly overpopulated. The plight in this area pushed dissatisfied people to unite. Volunteers began to group around the Cossack commander Stepan Razin. The formed detachment did not encounter resistance from the side of the Sergeant. On the contrary, the dissatisfied in every possible way helped with the formation of the Cossack grouping. However, when the detachment headed to the Sea of Azov, on the order of the Sergeant Major, certain obstacles were created to the Cossacks. "Dovovatye" understood that this campaign could upset relations with Turkey, cause complications, and even a complete break with Moscow. This, of course, was not included in the plans of the Sergeant.

However, the detachment of Razin met resistance in 1667, in early May, and settled near Panshin town, between Ilovly and Tishina. The Cossack commander then gathered more than six hundred people under his command. In spite of the fact that the Razin people inflicted considerable damage to the local rich people, they were getting ready for the campaign and stocking up food, weapons, clothing, lead and powder, everything was taken from the "bosses" by force.

I did not meet Razin's detachment of resistance and on the way to the Volga. The Cossack top, led by the Chief, pursued its goals. The direct calculation was to send the restless Cossacks away from the lands. In addition, the "housewives" expected that the detachment would return with prey, half of which would be given to them for help and provided ammunition, weapons, ships.

In 1667, by the end of May, the Cossack group came out on river vessels along the river Kamyshenka to the Volga. Razin's insurrection began as an ordinary campaign "for zipunami." The difference was in the number of people. The uprising of Stepan Razin started not 150-200 people, but fifteen hundred.

To the north of Tsaritsyn, the insurgent detachments captured the trading planes of Patriarch Nikon, Vasily Shorin, other merchants, the Tsar himself.

In 1668, on March 23, Razin began his legendary campaign to the Caspian Sea. The leader of the rebels, who sailed to Persia, connected the hope of finding free land. However, the shah did not give the Cossacks territory for colonization. During the Persian campaign, Razin won many victories.

After returning to his native Don, a large number of people joined Razin's detachment. About the leader of the rebels legends were composed, he was considered a people's intercessor. The number of Razin's detachment grew rapidly. By 1670 the insurgents numbered about four thousand.

After some time, the rebel detachment again went outside of Russia. It should be noted that the government favorably treated such campaigns. The king was more satisfied with Razin's activities outside the country than inside her. However, soon Razin showed that he could become a master on the Lower Volga, so that even Moscow could not cope with it.

The uprising of Stepan Razin led to the division of the country in the European part into two zones. On one, the insurgents held power, and the other was still in the hands of the tsarist government. To outline the clear geographical boundaries of these zones is quite problematic, due to the fact that the situation has changed very often. People moved from hand to hand, practically the whole county could be under the power of the insurgents, and its center and a number of cities remained behind the government.

Regularly in different cities and villages, discontent flared up. After the suppression of the insurrection in one place, it began in another. However, by the end of 1670 the superiority was on the side of the forces of the tsarist government.

In 1671, on April 14, the insurrection of Stepan Razin was finally suppressed. "Stormy" Don people attacked Kagalnitsky town, where several detachments were stationed, led by the leader of the insurgents. Stepan Razin and his brother Frol were captured and taken to Moscow in shackles. In 1671, on June 6, the execution took place on Red Square. Stepan Razin was quartered.